Pattaya 2011 - Central Festival Pattaya Beach

The Pattaya Hilton development includes a podium which houses the Central Festival Pattaya Beach. It is the largest shopping mall in Pattaya - and in fact the developer claims that it is the biggest beachfront shopping complex in South-East Asia - with over 300 shops and F&B outlets. I wouldn't dispute the claim - as the size of the development is certainly impressive. But you could be in any modern shopping centre in Singapore, Hong Kong or Bangkok - the shops are all the same, and even the people start to look the same after a while.

Inside the shopping mall. It looks the same as most other upscale shopping malls around Asia.

It does have its redeeming qualities though. The architecture is very innovative, and most of the F&B outlets have terraces and balconies with an ocean view.